


Bring Me Back

by ninjamcgarrett



Category: Real Person Fiction
Genre: First Time, Fluff, Football, M/M, Soccer, strip football, strip soccer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-13
Updated: 2013-03-13
Packaged: 2017-12-05 04:50:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/719064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninjamcgarrett/pseuds/ninjamcgarrett
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marco challenges Mario to a game of late-night strip football. It leads to a realization about their close friendship and eventual smut. Unrepentant fluff and smut abounds!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bring Me Back

**Author's Note:**

> Liebe means 'love' in German.

Mario huffed as he ran down the length of the small park by the hotel the national team was staying at in Madrid. It had been a long day – and a bad one, too. He had been unable to calm down enough to sleep, so he’d chosen to run to the park with his football and play for a bit until the stress bled out of his mind. So many things had gone wrong that he couldn’t even begin to process them all. Marco had snapped at him at training that morning because Löw had snapped at Marco. Mario’s father had called him that afternoon to tell him that he would be unable to make it to the international match in two days because of a mishap at work that prevented him from leaving as planned. And to top it all off, he had forgotten his laptop and his charger for his phone at home, so Mario was unable to watch his favorite films to relax or answer messages from family and friends.

It had definitely been a long day and his body needed rest but his mind was running faster than his feet. So Mario pushed himself as he ran the length of the small park once more while he warmed up. He stopped to stretch a hamstring, bending down to adjust the volume on the small, portable speakers he’d brought with him. An upbeat, fast tempo song filled the quiet July night air around him and Mario spent a minute bouncing the ball on his feet and knees before kicking it across the grass toward the solitary net.

Someone shot out of the darkness and blocked the shot, one cleat resting atop the ball. Mario startled until he realized who it was, and then he bristled. He turned and cranked up the volume on his speakers, making it clear that he didn’t want to talk. Mario then jogged over to Marco and kicked the ball from beneath his cleat. Marco reached out a hand, laying it on Mario’s shoulder.

“Mario, I – ”

Mario shrugged his shoulder, Marco’s hand slipping off. “Fuck off, Marco. I’ve had enough shit for one day. I don’t need more, especially from you.”

He looked away, his own heart throbbing painfully in his chest. Marco was his best friend, his confidant, and his other half. Mario hating saying something so harsh to him, but today had been one of those days that he just wanted to push everyone away, especially Marco, who had hurt him when he didn’t need it.

Marco’s eyes filled with pain. “Mar, I – I came to apologize about earlier. I’m sorry. I really am.”

Truth was, he wasn’t ready to accept Marco’s apology. Mario was still upset with the world and preferred to stay that way a little bit longer until he’d played football and calmed down.

“You can take your apology and shove it up your ass,” Mario spat, hands on his hips.

Marco surprised Mario then, grabbing him by the shoulders and hauling him around to face him. Mario squawked in protest and tried to bat Marco’s hands away. Marco was persistent though and succeeded in pulling Mario into his arms, wrapping them around Mario’s shoulders, one hand threading through Mario’s hair, and his nose nuzzling into Mario’s neck. Mario stiffened and resisted but gave up finally, melting into Marco’s hold. His arms eventually wrapped around Marco’s middle and he buried his face in Marco’s shoulder. He sighed, inhaling the smell of his best friend deep into his lungs. Mario’s hands fisted in Marco’s shirt as he clung to him. Mario could feel the tension finally drain out of his shoulders while Marco held him, their hearts beating in time together.

“Liebe, what’s wrong?” Marco murmured in Mario’s ear after a moment.

“Everything” Mario whispered. “Dad’s not coming to the match. I forgot my laptop at home. My phone’s dead. And you were being a jerk this morning.”

Marco gripped Mario tighter. “I wondered why you were so quiet all day. I really am sorry for snapping earlier. I shouldn’t have done it.”

“It’s okay,” Mario mumbled in Marco’s shoulder. “Löw was being a jerk to you; I get it.”

“No, it’s not,” Marco interrupted. “You’re my best friend. If I should have snapped at anyone, it should have been Joachim.”

Both of them chuckled before Marco nodded toward the speakers, still holding Mario. “Who’s phone did you borrow?”

“Mesut’s,” Mario answered with a small laugh. “You know we’ve got the same taste in music.”

A moment of silence passed while Marco ran his hand soothingly through Mario’s short hair, scratching Mario’s scalp softly and enjoying the resulting hum of happiness from Mario.

“Thank you,” Mario said finally. “I needed that. I was starting to feel like I was spinning out of myself there. You always know how to bring me back.”

Marco let go, keeping one hand on Mario’s shoulder and the other in his hair. “Anytime, liebe. You bring me back to myself all the time.”

He grinned then, looking at the ball by their feet, a wicked gleam entering his eyes.

“I have an idea.”

“Oh God,” Mario said, a half-laugh escaping.

“You came out here to play football,” Marco said. “So let’s play. But let’s make it interesting. Strip football? Every time I score, you take off one piece of clothing and when you score, I do it.”

Mario regarded his best friend for a moment and then grinned. “Yeah, alright. But you’re going to lose!”

Marco laughed. “Please. Who has more goals this season?”

A snort sounded from Mario as he grabbed the ball. “You. But who was your assist on most of those? I have a feeling that without me helping you, you’ll be bare-assed naked in five minutes.”

Marco stuck out his tongue as they moved to the center of the makeshift pitch in the park. The speakers continued to play club music and both men started moving unconsciously to the music. Mario shot around Marco, running full tilt down the pitch, his feet in time with the music. The ball passed easily between his feet as Marco caught up to him and shoved, trying to get access to the ball. Mario pushed back, both men grinning, as they continued to run.

“Don’t make me shove a cleat up your ass, Mar,” Marco grunted, trying to wedge a foot between Mario’s for the ball.

Mario pulled a foot back and aimed a shot at the net, smiling when the ball sailed cleanly into the back of it. He turned to Marco.

“Strip, pretty boy,” he said, the grin still on his face.

Marco just rolled his eyes while smiling and pulling his shirt over his head. His chest gleamed with sweat and muscles moved beneath the skin as he took several deep breaths. Mario licked his lips and felt a strange hunger gnaw in the pit of his stomach. Marco’s tattoo stood out against his pale arm in the moonlight and Mario was suddenly struck with the wild desire to run his tongue up the length of it. He cleared his throat and looked away when Marco walked forward and bent over to retrieve the ball, his shorts stretching over the taut muscle of his legs and ass. Marco dribbled the ball back to the center of the pitch and winked at Mario.

“You look a little distracted, Mar,” Marco teased.

While Mario was spluttering for an answer, Marco took the opportunity to dart around him and take off running toward the net. Mario blinked, surprised, and then rocketed forward, shoving and moving to get to the ball. He’d be damned if he lost to Marco. Unfortunately, Marco’s head start gave him an advantage and he scored, a triumphant grin on his face. Mario grumbled some rather unpleasant things as he peeled his shirt off while Marco chuckled. He retrieved the ball and the game started all over again. Both men moved to the music, breathing hard, skin slick with sweat, moving together and fighting for the ball. Mario scored next and turned to Marco.

“Lose the shorts, Marco.”

Marco just winked. “Patience, liebe. Socks first.”

He bent down and pulled off his cleats and socks, wiggling his toes in the cool grass. Marco shrugged and left his cleats off, tossing them toward the growing pile of their clothing.

“Cheater,” Mario laughed.

“Hey, it feels good. You should try it,” Marco responded, bouncing the ball on his foot.

Marco’s calves were tight from running and Mario felt that odd gnawing in his stomach again as he stared at his best friend. They had both been around each other in the locker room naked before but something was different about tonight and Mario couldn’t put his finger on it. They started the game once more as music continued to play in the night air around them. Marco scored next and Mario stripped off his socks and cleats, finding that the cool grass really did feel amazing like Marco had said. They resumed playing and the tempo of their movements increased, becoming more frenzied – neither man was ready to give up his shorts, their last piece of clothing.

Mario, the shorter of the two, ducked under Marco’s outstretched arms and stole the ball from him. He twisted away, keeping control of the ball, and made for the goal, but Marco caught up to him. Their feet tangled together as Marco slipped on the grass and both men fell in a heap to the ground. The ball bounced forward and just barely rolled to a stop inside the net. Marco grinned, reminding Mario of the Chesire Cat.

“Shorts, liebe,” he said, his voice low and rumbling next to Mario’s ear from where he was tangled with Mario on the ground.

Mario looked over, finding Marco’s face much closer to his than he had expected. His eyes darted down to Marco’s lips, both of them breathing hard. It couldn’t be just him that was feeling the tension arcing like lightning between them, Mario thought. Marco’s skin practically sizzled under Mario’s touch. Before he could blink or disentangle himself from the pile they lay in on the wet grass, Marco rolled on top of him, pinning Mario’s body with his own. He stared into Mario’s eyes, looking for any hint of resistance or denial there. When he found none, he made his move.

Marco took Mario’s lips with a slight hesitancy at first, but he jumped from the shock of the kiss, and then deepened it. All tentativeness disappeared as their lips melded and crashed together. Mario buried his hands in Marco’s hair, holding tight and afraid to let go for fear of breaking the moment. One of Marco’s hand slipped around Mario’s neck while the other ran the length of Mario’s heaving chest down to his hips. His fingers gripped tightly to Mario, his anchor, feeling as if he were caught in a whirlwind of emotion and need. Mario wriggled beneath his best friend, freeing his legs from the tangle with Marco’s and wrapping them around the blonde’s hips. He managed to dig a few fingers into the waistband of Marco’s shorts and tugged, trying to get them off Marco.

“Fuck,” Marco swore. “We can’t do this here, out in the open. If the paparazzi found us – ”

“Hotel,” Mario breathed, in agreement. “Now.”

Marco nodded and pulled Mario up. Both men grabbed their shirts and cleats and the speakers before jogging back to the hotel, pulling on their shirts as they ran. In the elevator, Mario crowded Marco, pushing him into a corner and rubbing against Marco’s hips while kissing him. They parted when the doors slid open and Marco grabbed his hand, leading them down the quiet hallway to his room. Tumbling through the door, Marco slammed Mario up against it once it was closed and pulled Mario’s legs up around his hips. Mario arched his back as Marco dipped his head and sucked at the tender skin on Mario’s neck. A moan escaped Mario at the energy zipping through his body; he felt alive under Marco’s touch.

He grabbed fistfuls of Marco’s shirt and pushed him back. Mario kissed him, hard, furiously, trying to taste as much of Marco as possible, desperate and hungry for more as he backed Marco toward the large bed. Sensing the bed behind him, Marco fell back, pulling Mario with him. The cleats tumbled to the floor and the speakers landed up near the headboard as both men tore their shirts off. Mario fumbled, trying to get the speakers playing something to mask the noise they were making. He finally got the music going and sat atop Marco, running his hands up and down the midfielder’s body, drinking in the sight of Marco beneath him.

Marco grinned cheekily. “Like what you see?”

Mario nodded and tugged once more at Marco’s shorts. “Off. Now.”

The blonde shook his head. “Nope. You first. I scored after all.”

Mario merely rolled his eyes while laughing and standing to pull off his shorts. He hesitated for a moment, biting his lip and looking at Marco, who had propped himself up on his elbows on the bed to watch. Marco saw the nervousness in Mario’s eyes and smiled gently.

“Liebe,” he said softly.

That was all Mario needed, to hear his nickname from his best friend. He eased his shorts over his hard length and shot onto the bed again, where Marco was waiting, already naked. Mario pushed him down and kissed him, tenderly this time, savoring the way their tongues met and explored each other’s mouths. Chills ran along Mario’s body at the thought that their relationship was about to change.

“Marco,” he breathed. “I – what does this – ”

Marco silenced him with a quick kiss, washing away the worry.

“Breathe,” he whispered. “I’m not going to fuck you and throw you out. I want this. I’ve wanted you for a long time.” Marco kissed him again. “There’s a reason I call you ‘liebe’, Mar.”

Mario put his head down on Marco’s shoulder and laughed. “God, I’m such an idiot! How did I not see that all this time?”

Marco grinned as Mario lifted his head and kissed him. Mario slid a hand over Marco’s heart, feeling the strong pulse there. He smiled at his best friend.

“Can we – I mean, if you want – could we maybe try a relationship?” Mario began to ramble then, nervous. “I mean, it’d be difficult, what with the teams and our fans and the media. Pretty sure our families already think we’re married but – ”

Marco silenced him with a kiss. “Yes.”

A cry of delight escaped Mario’s lips as he smiled brighter than Marco had ever seen before and leaned down to kiss him. He pulled Marco close to him and smiled into the kiss as Marco wrapped his arms around him. Mario reached a hand down between them to palm Marco and grinned when Marco shuddered beneath him from the feel of Mario’s soft hand along his hard length. After a moment, Marco couldn’t take it any longer and flipped them over so that he could straddle Mario and reach for the lube in the nightstand. Mario chewed his lip, looking worried at the appearance of the lube and condoms.

“I’ve never – bottomed before,” he admitted finally.

Marco smiled and gently kissed him. “Do you want me to go slow or do something different?”

Mario took a deep breath and shook his head. “No, I want this. Just, be gentle?”

Marco nodded and covered one hand in lube. He distracted Mario with a kiss, nipping his lower lip and swallowing a gasp of surprise when one finger teased Mario’s opening and then slipped inside. He stroked slowly, finding Mario’s weak spots, grinning when Mario bucked up against him from the overwhelming pleasure. Mario wrapped one hand around Marco’s erection and groaned.

“Marco, that feels – oh God, _yes_ ,” he moaned as Marco hit a particularly sensitive spot and Mario arched his hips toward him.

Marco slipped on a condom after Mario had relaxed enough to open up for him and grabbed Mario’s hips, positioning him. Mario propped himself up on his elbows, a hungry yet pleading look in his eyes. Marco leaned over and kissed him in reassurance.

“Deep breaths,” he whispered against Mario’s ear, nibbling the sensitive skin there and taking Mario’s earlobe between his teeth and nipping it.

He eased inside Mario slowly, giving the shorter man time to adjust to the new sensations. Mario tipped his head back, a loud groan escaping at the waves of desire and pleasure. Once Marco was fully inside him, his eyes fluttered open and he looked up.

“Jesus, fuck, if I’d known how this felt, I would have jumped you in the locker room a long time ago.”

Marco chuckled before kissing him and then slowly began to move, stroking in and out, swallowing Mario’s moans of ecstasy. They moved together, Mario’s legs wrapped around Marco, Marco’s arms pulling Mario close to him, gripping him tight as they locked lips once more. Marco slipped a hand between them to stroke Mario and grinned when Mario moved up into his hand, eager for more. Marco dipped his head for a kiss and licked his tongue along Mario’s bottom lip, swollen from his earlier kisses. Mario grabbed Marco’s ass and squeezed, pulling him deeper, and grinning when Marco moaned and swore.

“Keep that up, liebe, and I won’t last long.”

Mario smiled up at him, nipping Marco’s lower lip. “Then don’t,” he said as he moved against Marco again.

Marco quickened his pace, both of their bodies becoming covered in a sheen of sweat as they moved, their pounding hearts setting the rhythm. Mario dug his nails into Marco’s back, leaving long scratches down the blonde’s toned back as Marco drove in and out, pushing Mario closer to the edge. Mario closed his eyes, overwhelmed by the sensations and the flood of joy of finally being with Marco in ways he had only dreamed of before. Marco grabbed Mario and kissed him hard and fast.

“Open your eyes,” he whispered, urgency in his voice. “I want to see your eyes when I come.”

Mario’s eyes flew open as his body tightened around Marco. The blonde’s eyes widened as he felt the edge of the climax drawing near and Mario spurred them both on, soft keens of desire escaping his throat, Marco’s name on his lips. Marco came then, crying out Mario’s name, pulling Mario with him. Mario swore he saw lights burst in his field of vision as his eyes locked with Marco’s, both men bucking from the shared orgasm. Marco collapsed on top of him after a moment after gently extricating himself from Mario. They lay together in a heap, panting, completely spent and utterly happy.

Marco rolled over to flop on his back and stare up at the ceiling.

“My God, that was – ”

“Perfect,” Mario finished for him, standing up when he was sure that his legs wouldn’t give out on him.

He leaned down to press a kiss to Marco before grabbing a towel to clean them both off. Mario rummaged in Marco’s suitcase for two clean pairs of shorts and chucked one pair at Marco when the blonde began laughing.

“You know we’re the same size, so shut up,” Mario laughed, coming back to the bed.

“I know, it’s just that I’m really starting to realize how bloody married we are,” Marco said, his eyes full of light as he drank in the sight of Mario lying next to him.

Mario smiled, taking a moment to tenderly kiss Marco before speaking. “Thank you,” he said quietly. “For finding me tonight. For loving me. For bring me back to myself.”

Marco traced the line of Mario’s jaw, mirroring his smile, humming happily. “Always, liebe. Because I love you. Because you bring me back too.”

They fell asleep that night with Marco curled protectively around Mario, fingers intertwined, twin smiles on their faces.


End file.
